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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364902">City of Walls and Lost Bison</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/book_of_Charlie/pseuds/book_of_Charlie'>book_of_Charlie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:40:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,129</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/book_of_Charlie/pseuds/book_of_Charlie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If Sokka found Zuko and Iroh, and if Zuko worked with Team Avatar to get Appa back.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>City of Walls and Lost Bison</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Canon-divergent au, hope y'all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Appa was missing, Aang was distraught, and there was an important mission to warn the Earth King of.</p><p>All in all, a normal day thus far into Team Avatar’s stay in Ba Sing Se. And, just like every day, they went their separate ways in search of Appa. He was, of course, their main priority. Dealing with the Fire Lord could wait until they had their friend, safe and sound, again.</p><p>This was the only reason why Sokka was in Ba Sing Se’s lower ring, hoping that someone had seen or heard something new since the previous day.</p><p>And, just like every day so far, there was nothing. Sokka was starting to wonder if Long Feng and the Dai Li had Appa, if they were planning on using him as a bargaining chip to get them to leave the city without seeing the Earth King.</p><p>The thought made him sick to his stomach, but still. It wasn’t that remote a possibility. Sokka still had hope, however, that that wasn’t the case, so here he was, searching.</p><p>But, he was getting nowhere, and it was lunchtime. </p><p>Sokka had been trying a new little shop each day. None of them quite hit the spot, so he keeps trying new ones. Today, he was heading into a small tea shop. It was quite normal, from the outside, and Sokka wasn’t paying much attention. He noticed that they were selling some breads, so he intended on getting a couple rolls to tide him over on his way back to the upper ring. He looked at the menu as he waited in the reasonably long line, picking out a nice, slightly fruity tea. He had his order in mind as he finally got up to the counter, only to see someone he wasn’t expecting.</p><p>Zuko, Crown  Prince of the Fire Nation and Heir to the Throne, stared back with wide eyes.</p><p>“Sokka.” He said, and even the Water Tribesman could see the way he was slightly trembling.</p><p>“One of the Spiced Apple teas, three regular rolls, and one explanation as to what the hell is going on.” Sokka did his best to keep his voice calm, and level, not trying to cause a widespread panic. He could take Zuko on himself without any innocent people getting hurt, if it came to that.</p><p>“S-sure.” He stuttered, and Sokka frowned. He didn’t know Zuko all that well, but one thing he did know was that the Prince was always the angry type, not the nervous type.</p><p>“Go sit at a table, I’ll bring you your order. I’m off in half an hour, and I’ll explain then, okay?” Zuko silently pleaded with Sokka, who nodded. Something here wasn’t normal - this wasn’t like Zuko at all.</p><p>The half hour passed quickly, Sokka watching Zuko apprehensively. Clearly, the man was nervous, but other than that, he seemed… well, he seemed like a normal person, working their job, doing their best. Sokka just couldn’t figure out the angle. So, after a half hour, when Zuko was done sweeping and picking up the rest of the tables, he put the closed sign on the door, came over to Sokka’s table, and sat down. </p><p>“Uncle will be here soon, he was out shopping for herbs to make some new blends.” Zuko said matter of factly. Sokka nodded in understanding.</p><p>“I’ll wait for him, too, then. Is there anyone else from… your home, here in Ba Sing Se?” Zuko shook his head.</p><p>“I hope not.” He said ruefully, making Sokka look at him wide-eyed. The last time Sokka had seen Zuko and his Uncle was when they were fighting Azula, and the time before that was at the siege on the Northern Water Tribe. And true, Zuko’s Uncle had fought with them and Aang, and had attacked Zhao at the North Pole, but still. This was the Crown Prince, shouldn’t he be letting the troops of the fire nation into the walls of the city or something?</p><p>Sokka was confused, and still mulling over the seemingly innocuous statement, when the bell jingled. Zuko’s Uncle - Sokka really needed to learn this man’s name - put down his shopping bags on the counter and turned to them.</p><p>“Hello!” He said, friendly and warm. The warmth surprised Sokka, to say the least. </p><p>“Hello. I - Zuko said he would tell me what you two are doing here in the city, and I’m going to listen. I don’t want to see more people hurt, or cause a widespread panic, which is the only reason I haven’t dragged you to the Earth King myself, yet.” The last point was directed directly at the prince in question.</p><p>Zuko’s Uncle nodded, coming to sit down next to his nephew. “My name is Iroh, I don’t know if Zuko here told you.” Zuko blushed a tiny bit, shaking his head.</p><p>“I’m Sokka. Now, what is the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the Fire Lord’s brother doing in Ba Sing Se?” He looked at them expectantly.</p><p>“It’s a long story.” Iroh said.</p><p>Zuko looked conflicted, emotions flickering between fear, anger, and sadness. Sokka was admittedly slightly surprised to see an emotion other than fear or anger on his face. He just looked… upset with himself. </p><p>“You don’t know already?” Zuko asked softly. Sokka shook his head, confused.</p><p>“Know what?”</p><p>“We aren’t those, not anymore.” Iroh said, simply. Sokka’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I was banished, dumbass. Uncle came with me, and now he and I are on the run. We had two choices; come to Ba Sing Se as refugees, or go to the Fire Nation and be turned over to my sister - Princess Azula, if you didn’t already know. Obviously, we chose Ba Sing Se.” Zuko stated, annoyed now.</p><p>“Not that long a story, I guess.” Iroh said. Sokka cracked a smile at that.</p><p>“I mean, that’s fair, your sister is scary as all get out.” Sokka winced in sympathy, returning his mind to Zuko’s statement. Katara was scary too, but she would never kill anybody. Azula, though? She would without any hesitation.</p><p>“So, you two are here as refugees, and you aren’t here to capture the world’s last hope for peace?” Iroh nodded, as did Zuko. Sokka was surprised, an emotion he had felt a lot during this conversation already.</p><p>“Zuko, why did you try and capture the Avatar? How long have you been banished?” Sokka asked, trying to understand.</p><p>Zuko winced, looking to Iroh to explain. He couldn’t. Not to Sokka. Iroh glanced between them for a moment, before speaking.</p><p>“He was banished before attacking your tribe,” the ex-General said, slowly, looking to his nephew to see what was okay to say. Sokka nodded, thinking he gets the picture.</p><p>“So if I have this right, you were basically trying to capture Aang so that you could, go home? Spirits, Zuko, that’s… kinda fucked up.” Sokka was in shock. Again.</p><p>Zuko nodded, ashamed. Iroh snorted. “My brother is more than kind of fucked up, Sokka.” He was bitter, something neither Sokka or Zuko was expecting. </p><p>“I mean, I know, but still. So - what does this mean; are you giving up on going home? Are - if you don’t want to continue trying to capture Aang, what will you do? Be on the run for the rest of your life?” Sokka was trying not to rant, but he couldn’t help it. Everything he had been through had been because these two were trying to capture the Avatar, his friend, the boy who was basically his little brother at this point. And now, here he was, feeling sorry for them? What if they were lying?</p><p>But even as Sokka thought it, he knew it wasn’t true. He had never heard of Zuko being anything close to soft before, knew that Iroh wasn’t usually bitter. They were telling the truth. Did that mean… that they were now on the same side?</p><p>Sokka’s thoughts were interrupted by Zuko.</p><p>“We intend to live here, peacefully. I… I miss home, but I’ve realized, the longer I’ve been away, that I miss mostly the memories of when we were happy. But, if I went back…” Zuko shook his head.</p><p>“I don’t want to be the Crown Prince. Not anymore.” He said, seeming to shock even himself. Iroh was smiling.</p><p>Iroh whispered something in Zuko’s ear, making him flush, but clearly with pride. Iroh stood up.</p><p>“Sokka, would you like some tea?” Sokka nodded, thanking him, as the old general went to make some, leaving the two teenage boys sitting at the table as the sun gently began to set on Ba Sing Se.</p><p>“I’m surprised, I’ll admit. You two aren’t the same people who chased us. Well, Iroh might be, but you certainly aren’t.” Sokka admitted. Zuko snorted.</p><p>“Yeah, Uncle’s always been like that. And I appreciate him for it.” Zuko said, smiling softly in his Uncle’s direction. Sokka felt warm, getting to see that smile, getting to see Zuko be vulnerable. It was decidedly weird.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I automatically assumed the worst of you two, but I can tell, you’ve changed. I won’t tell the Earth King you’re here.” Sokka looked Zuko in the eyes as he spoke. Zuko held his gaze, pointing out that there was, in fact, a reason why Sokka didn’t trust him.</p><p>“I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t have trusted me either. And I really appreciate that.” Zuko smiled, but a small thought occured to him.</p><p>“You won’t tell the Dai Li either, right?” Sokka looked at Zuko like he had grown two heads. </p><p>“Are you kidding me? Long Feng is the worst, I would never sell you out to someone like him even if I was gonna sell you out!” Sokka ranted passionately, stopping to take a breath only once he finished. </p><p>“Long Feng? Is that the head of the Dai Li?” Sokka nodded at Zuko’s question, glaring sourly at the floor.</p><p>“I hate him. I hate him so much.” Zuko chuckled.</p><p>“I can tell.” Sokka blushed at that. Iroh came back with tea. Zuko studied Sokka for a moment as all 3 men sipped their tea. “May I ask why? And… why are you in the city?”</p><p>Sokka sighed, unsure if he should tell the truth or not. He decided to; Zuko and Iroh trusted him, and… Zuko had a lot of experience tracking Appa…. </p><p>“Appa, our flying bison, was stolen from us when we were in the Wan Chi Tong Desert.” Sokka began. </p><p>“How’s the young Avatar?” Iroh asked, concerned. Sokka grimaced.</p><p>“It hurts, and badly. Appa isn’t just his animal companion; he’s one of two or three tangible connections Aang still has to the Air Nomads. To lose him, on top of trying to train to defeat the, well, you know, it hurts.” Sokka grimaces at the mention of defeating the Fire Lord, given the company he was talking to. Still, he continues. “It hurts all of us. Appa is a member of the family.”</p><p>Zuko and Iroh nod. “You said he was stolen in the desert?” Zuko asked. Sokka nodded.</p><p>“By Sandbenders. We found them, and got them to tell us that they traded Appa to some merchants, who were likely to sell him in Ba Sing Se. And Aang is pretty certain that he’s here. But Long Feng and the Dai Li have been trying to stop us asking questions, and they say it’s against the rules to put up missing posters. We’re gonna do that anyway, and while Aang works on getting the posters, I have been checking the Lower Ring, Katara has been checking the Middle Ring, and Toph has been checking the Upper Ring. It’s been weeks, and no one has seen anything.”  </p><p>It broke Zuko’s heart to see Sokka so hurt, and he doesn’t know why, but he reaches out and grabs Sokka’s hand anyway. </p><p>“I’m sorry. I, uh, have experience tracking him, and can try and help find him if you want me to?” Zuko blushes, still holding Sokka’s hand, gently.</p><p>Sokka blushes too, but nods. “That’d be appreciated, no one’s better at tracking us than you.” He cringes at saying that, but Zuko just laughs a little.</p><p>“If you think the Dai Li have him, then I have an idea on how to find him.” Sokka nodded, ready  to talk strategy. Before he could, however, Iroh interrupted. </p><p>“Stay safe. Sokka, nephew, I wish you all the luck. I, however, have a Pai Sho game, so I will now take my leave.” Iroh bowed, Sokka and Zuko standing up and bowing in return.</p><p>Iroh hugged Zuko, and then put his hands gently on Sokka’s shoulders. “Thank you.” He winked, and left.</p><p>Sokka didn’t have to ask for what.</p><p>Sokka turned to Zuko, and smirked.</p><p>“Let’s go get Appa.”</p>
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